Winter's Promises
by BabyDuck14
Summary: The Snow Queen. The Winter Spirit. What good friends they were. But when Jack leaves her and comes back 13 years later, will Elsa still accept him and cherish their friendship? Or will she forget the remnants of their past? Who knows what might happen.
1. Chapter 1

**So, hi guys! I made a jelsa fic here, and I really tried to make it OC. Hope you like it. :)**

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Chapter 1

Jack Frost was flying directly above the kingdom of Arendelle, his snow-white hair being swept back and forth by the wind. _'Wow, this place has changed.'_ he thought to himself as he observed the increase in the number of small houses and the large number of people that walked around the place. The last time he went to the kingdom was 13 years ago. The winter spirit thought about the last time he had been there as he flew to the kingdom's core, the royal palace.

When he finally arrived at the palace, he slowed down and came to a halt. He landed on the palace's garden. The garden was very peaceful, the only noises were the sound of the birds chirping. The green grass that grew from the ground tickled his toes, and the trees and shrubs enclosed the area. There were fragrant flowers planted, and in the middle of the garden stood a swing. He took a look around. The garden held memories, good memories he never wanted to forget. A scene immediately played in his head, a scene that took place many years ago. The images of himself building a snowman with a child with the same snow white hair as him flashed in his mind. He smiled to himself, thinking about the little girl.

"Elsa."

He thought about Elsa, Arendelle's little princess. His best friend. She had ice powers, like him. And now back to Arendelle to see her again. After his moment of flashbacks, he finally decided to start looking for the her.

Looking through a large window, his blue eyes wandered around the bedroom of the person he was looking for. The room didn't change a lot, considering that he hasn't seen it in a long time. It still held Arendelle's colors, and the large canopy bed was still near the huge glass window. The soft felt carpets were still there, and the large closet still stood tall. The only change he noticed was the absence of the toys in the spot that was once a child's playing area. The toys were replaced with a dresser that held a large mirror in its center.

When he found out that there was no one inside the room, he continued to look around the castle. He didn't come in, but instead continued his search outside the palace. He searched the castle hallways. He also looked through various rooms, some were empty and some were full of busy maids and cooks. After a few minutes of searching, he spotted another room, the castle's library and study room, to be more specific.

_'I guess its worth a shot.'_

Without hesitation, he flew to the study's direction. Cautiously peeking through the room's window, he couldn't help but stare in amazement at the girl sitting in the middle of the room.

Yes, he found the girl he was looking for. Although, not the little girl he was expecting to see. The last time he saw her was many years ago, she was just a little girl of eight back then. But not any more. Elsa, Arendelle's little princess had grown into a woman.

Jack's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he observed Elsa, who was all grown up. Her long hair still shone with the same platinum color and was braided beautifully. Her skin was as white as snow, and she had grown very tall. Her cherry colored lips went perfectly with her azure eyes that were as charming as ever.

Presently, Elsa stood up from the chair and went to the study's neighboring room, the library. This snapped Jack out of his trance and he finally regained his awareness. He smiled at her, still hidden from her view.

"My little girl's all grown up."

xxXxx

Elsa was already finishing up the last of her paperwork. "Finally." she muttered to herself as she placed the last paper on top of the large stack of documents that she needed to handle. Numerous are proposals from other kingdoms, all the kings and queens are saying that Elsa was already at marrying age, and needs to find a king. She knew that the time will come for her to get married, but she didn't expect it to come so soon. Sure, Elsa was a queen, but she was still 21 after all. She laid her head in her desk and gave a big sigh, tired of doing her duties. Being queen can be hard work.

"Yeah, you're tired, alright." Elsa got up to see that the voice came from Anna. "I came to tell you that we prepared some snacks for you, but seeing your condition right now, I think that you need to sleep. A lot." the princess pointed out, concerned about her sister's welfare.

"Okay." Elsa got up from the desk and smiled as she walked toward her younger sister. Anna smiled back at her as she took Elsa's hand and dragged her off to the castle's dining room.

xxXxx

Elsa was alone in her room, gazing at the night sky just outside the window. She finished her afternoon snacks with Anna and Kristoff. After a few hours of sleeping, she woke up to find out that it was night already. She sat on her chair and stared out the window to see lots of twinkling stars spread across the sky, and the moon shining ever so brightly.

After a few more minutes of silence, Elsa heard a knock on the door. "Come in." She ordered. The door slowly creaked open to reveal a ginger girl. "Anna!" Elsa smiled at her, pleased to see her dear little sister. "Hi!" Anna replied enthusiastically as usual. She sat on Elsa's bed as she started talking.

"I found an invitation to a ball, some sort of dance party. Can we come?" Anna asked her older sibling with pleading puppy eyes. The puppy eyes usually worked on Elsa, but not this time.

"Why would you want to go there? The kings and queens will probably introduce princes to me so that I can alredy get married. I don't want that to happen." Elsa told her sister.

Anna sighed. "That's the thing, Elsa! If you never go to these types of social events, you will never get married."

"Who says I want to get married?" Elsa spoke up, obviously irritated by the idea.

"Elsa, I'm only looking out for you. Do you think I don't notice it? I see your face everytime you see happy lovers, including Kristoff and I. I know it makes you feel lonely, and it makes me sad everytime I see you like that. I want you to go there not because I already want you to get married just like the royals do, but because I want you to find someone that is more than capable to take care of you in the coming years and can make you happy more than I can!" Anna exclaimed.

A short silence followed.

"Anna.. I... " Elsa didn't know what to say. She knew Anna loved her, but she would'nt have thought that her younger sister would do this for her.

After a few moments of silence, Elsa walked towards Anna and hugged her. "Thank you for your concern, Anna. I never knew you cared for me like that. Of course we'll go to the ball." Elsa said gently.

Anna's face suddenly lit up as she hugged her older sister back. Tightly. "Oh, thank you Elsa! Thanks for giving it a chance."

And with that, Anna left the room. Once again, the queen was left alone. Elsa got lost in her thoughts. Maybe Anna was right, she was single and she had never loved a man in her life. But then again, she remembered something from her past. She did love a guy! Only, when she was a child. And that boy was none other than her good childhood friend, Jack Frost.

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**Yay, thank you so much for reading! Please don't forget to leave some reviews on your way. Cha, cha! I'm out. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, me again! This whole chapter is a flashback, except some parts in the end of the chapter. So Elsa remembers her best friend, and reminisces about their past. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2

**_Flashback_**

_'Conceal it, don't feel it. Don't let it show.'_ These were the words she lived by.

The little girl looked out the window to see a fresh blanket of snow covering the trees and the ground. She wasn't allowed to go out of the palace. She had no one to play with, not even her own sister she was just trying to protect. She was all alone, all she could ever do was watch the scenery outside her window.

She watched a snowflake in the air. Was it just her imagination, or was the snowflake coming toward her? Then another one appeared. Then another one. And another one.

_'How could that happen?'_

The child couldn't take it anymore. She just has to go outside. She has to check those snowflakes for herself. She quietly steeped out of her room and sneaked out the castle. She cautiously made her way to the garden. But alas, the snowflakes were gone! She was sure they were just there a moment ago.

Silently she looked for them, until one appeared out of nowhere. She let out a small gasp as the snowflake came closer to her. It went closer to her face, and floated straight to her nose. She felt something tickling her nose. It took her a while to figure out what was going on, until she remembered a line from a Christmas song she always sang.

_'Chesnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.'_

"Could it be?" She asked herself, turning around to see a tall boy that was clothed in a blue hoodie and brown pants. "Jack Frost!" she gasped as she looked up at him, who in turn was looking down at her. "You're real?"

The boy squatted in front of her and smiled. "Of course I'm real, Elsa. I'm a guardian!"

"How do you know my name?" the girl asked.

His smile got even wider. "Of course I know the princess who has ice powers like me."

A frown suddenly took over the girl's face. "Hey, what's wrong?" Jack asked.

"It's nothing."

"Then why are you sad?"

Elsa looked down at the ground. "You wouldn't understand."

"Of course I'd understand. I'm a guardian of children, remember?" Jack smiled again and held his arms out to the side for a convincing effect.

Elsa looked at him again, his smile seemed convincing enough. "It's my powers. I can't control it, so I can't play or even see my sister." she said grimly.

There was a short moment of silence. Jack was looking at Elsa whilst Elsa was looking at the ground. The silence was broken when Jack spoke up. "I can help you."

"How?" Elsa asked

"I have ice powers too, remember? Maybe I can teach you a thing or two about controlling it." Jack said.

"Really? You'd do that?" The little girl's face suddenly lit up.

"Of course! We'll have fun along the way, experimenting with both of our powers." Jack said with a smirk plastered on his face.

Elsa held her pinky finger out. "Promise?" Jack did the same and intertwined their fingers. "Promise."

xxXxx

Jack kept his promise, and came to the palace almost everyday to teach Elsa about her powers. It was hardwork, there were instances when either one of them got hurt. But in the end, Elsa learned to at least control her powers when she wasn't disturbed or worried about anything. As the days passed, Elsa became closer to Jack, the two became the best of friends. Jack would always play with the little girl when she was lonely, and he would always comfort her when she was sad. And on one fateful day...

"Yay, he's complete!" Elsa declared as she looked contently at the snowman she made with Jack. "Well, not quite." the winter spirit smirked, tossing the 8-year old princess a carrot. Elsa struggled to put the carrot on the tall snowman, until Jack lifted her up. She giggled as she put the carrot on the snowman as his nose.

Jack put the girl down and spoke up again. "Elsa? I don't think I'll be able to come back for a few months. I have to take care of a few.. Guardian stuff." The little girl's smile quickly disappeared. "You mean you won't play with me anymore? What if I get lonely again? What if I can't control my powers again?" the little girl said sadly. "No! I'll come back! It just might take a while." Jack calmed her down.

Elsa hugged the guardian around his neck. "You'll probably forget about me." the little girl whispered. "Of course not, you're my favorite girl in the world! I'll come back for you, Elsa. Don't worry." Jack said as he hugged her back.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

_**End of flashback**_

It has been 13 years since their last encounter. Elsa waited for him, but she never saw him since.

But then, she remembered how kind it was for Jack to help her when she was young. She remembered how much she loved him since she was just a little girl. And she waited for him. Yet, he never came back.

_'He won't come back, I should probably move on.'_ Elsa thought hopelessly, before going to bed. Little did she know that the person she was thinking of was watching her just outside the window..


	3. Chapter 3

**And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for: JACK AND ELSA FINALLY MEETS! DAT-TAH-TAH!**

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Chapter 3

"Elsa! Are you done yet?" Anna shouted through the door. "Almost!" Elsa replied from inside her room. The sisters were getting ready for the ball they were attending later in the afternoon, and Anna waited for her sister to finish getting ready.

"Do you need some help?" she offered. But before Elsa could even answer, the door burst open and Anna was already walking toward her.

"Wow, Elsa! You look beautiful!" Anna squealed as she looked at her sister who was wearing an elegant turquoise gown that went all the way down her feet, almost touching the floor. It was sleeveless. The bodice was decorated with tiny silver beads while the base of the gown was made with a flowing material.

"Thanks." Elsa smiled at her sister as Anna helped her with her hair. When Elsa was finally done, she placed her golden tiara on top of her head.

The sisters talked with each other all throughout the ride. Anna was the one who did most of the talking. She would ask her older sister numerous questions and Elsa would be the one answering them.

"So are you excited?" the ginger princess asked her older sibling. She was clad in a nice light pink silk gown that was very similar to Elsa's own gown. Some parts of her hair were tied up and some loose strands fell on either side of her face.

Elsa teared her gaze from the scenery outside the carriage's window to look at her sibling. "You know I'm not like you, princess 'meet-and-greet'." she nicknamed her sister teasingly, reminding Anna of the time when she met and almost married a certain prince from the Southern Isles. Elsa chuckled at Anna's reaction - Pouting.

"So you're not excited to go to the ball?" Anna asked again.

"Not really. If it weren't for you, I never would have gone to this ball. I'm not such a good dancer, you know." Elsa replied.

Now it was Anna's turn to laugh. "Oops, I forgot about that little detail!" Anna giggled. "But, no worries! Even if it's a dance ball, if you really don't want to dance, then I won't force you." she reassured her sister.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the sisters finally arrived at their destination. Anna kept on chattering about how many handsome princes Elsa was gonna meet and fall in love with as they made their way to the ballroom. When they finally arrived, the room was well lit, not to mention nicely decorated with streamers and some fresh flowers hanging on the walls. But what really caught Elsa's attention was the stunning amount of people. It seemed that most of the kingdom's royal families were there. Before the sisters were to enter the ballroom, their names were supposed to be announced as a sign of their arrival.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle" All heads turned to the princess as her name was called out. Anna smiled and waved excitedly as she walked down the stairs, looking as pretty as ever.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle" Announced the man. She walked down the stairs, following her sister. All the people looked at Elsa as well, probably the most dazzling queen in the room.

xxXxx

"Jack? What are you doing here?" North, a.k.a Santa Claus, asked when he saw the winter spirit standing in his toy factory, leaning on one of the red supporting pillars.

"I thought you were going to see Elsa?" He asked again.

Jack just continued staring at some elves who were busy making some toys, not saying a word.

North took a step closer to the silver-haired boy. "Jack, what's wrong?"

Jack finally turned around to see a look of concern on the large man's face.

"What if she doesn't want to see me?" He said.

"Jack.." North started as he shook Jack's shoulders. "If you were really friends, then she would still welcome you after all these years."

A moment of silence followed. After a few moments, Jack finally found his courage and spoke up. "Okay, okay. I'll see her tonight."

xxXxx

"And this is Prince Paul." Anna introduced another prince to Elsa, probably the seventh one of the night. He was tall, very tall. He had raven black hair and golden eyes, an unusual eye color.

He bowed down and took Elsa's hand. "My lady. It is an honor to be in the presence of someone extremely stunning."

"The pleasure is all mine." Elsa replied.

"I shall look forward to the day we meet again." and with that the prince left the sisters.

"So, see anyone you like?" Anna asked excitedly.

"No.. Not really." Elsa answered.

"But there were lots of them! And they were nice!" Anna whined.

"Anna, you don't have to find anyone for me." Elsa replied.

"But Elsa.." Anna looked thoughtfully at her sister. "I just want you to be happy.. With someone you love."

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure the time will come when I'll find that person. We just have to wait." Elsa promised halfheartedly, not really sure if she even wants to find a partner. "What if we just go home for now?"

"Okay, fine." Anna sighed.

xxXxx

When the sisters finally arrived home from the ball, it was already dark out. As soon as Elsa got to her room, she immediately changed into a white nightgown. She sat on her soft bed and, letting out a sigh, finally got to lay down and rest. But strangely enough, she found it pretty difficult to sleep. She tried shifting into a more comfortable position on her bed, turning herself from left to right. But it didn't work. She shut her eyes tightly, thinking about good dreams. Nothing.

So she got up, put on her bedroom slippers, and walked out her room. If she couldn't sleep, then she might as well do something productive. Elsa headed to the library. But before she even reached her destination, she stopped in her tracks. The temperature seemed to be decreasing.

_'That's weird. It's summer.'_

She walked to the nearest window and looked out to the castle's garden. She rarely went to that garden, it holds too much memories of her childhood. Memories she doesn't want to remember, a memory of her long gone friend. But as she looked out the window, what she saw changed her sadness into shock. A snowflake.

"Where on earth could that come from?" She thought out loud.

Of course she knew the answer to that question. There was only one spirit that can control snow just like her.

Jack Frost.

But she couldn't imagine him coming back. He hasn't come back for thirteen years, it was hard to believe. All her life she waited for him, and now she was starting to lose hope. But the snowflake in the garden lit a spark of hope in her heart.

So without delay, she hurried down to the garden, bumping some maids along the way. When she arrived there, it was snowing. She blinked a few times to see if all of this was just a dream, but it wasn't.

Elsa just stood there, staring at the snowflakes. Some even landed on her hair and face.

"Umm.. Is anyone there?" She spoke.

For a minute there was silence, then she felt a gust of wind close behind her, and the presence of another person at her back. This was it. She knew who that person was. She waited for him to speak, but he didn't. He just stayed behind her.

She had mixed feelings that couldn't be explained. She felt more than happy he came back, but also felt scared. It has been 13 years after all, what is she gonna say? What is he gonna say? All these thoughts plagued her mind. But she missed him. She just has to see him, no matter what happens. And so, ignoring all her fears and doubts, Elsa boldly turned around.

Blue. Blue fabric. That was the first thing she saw. She looked up, to see the person face to face. And there he was. Blue eyes, white hair. A pale face with the familiar boyish features. She saw the face she hasn't seen for so many years, the face of her best friend who is presently loking down at her with a smile on his face.

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**Whew they finally met. I felt alive writing this chapter, I just LOOOOOVE jelsa. Anyway, in the next chapter the two will already talk with each other. PLEASE REVIEW. That's the only thing that inspires me to write.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, I worked my butt off in writing this chapter. It's pretty long, and when a lazy person like me writes a chapter this long, that means I have a big inspiration. Which is Jelsa. And your reviews. So please please please leave your reviews. Thank ya. :***

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Chapter 4

Blue eyes gazed at azure ones. Ice met snow. After so many years of not seeing each other, they finally saw each other again. Elsa was too shocked to see him, while Jack, for some reason, was too worried about what might happen. They just stated at each other, neither one of them said a word for almost a minute.

Then, a very strange thing happened. One that Jack never would have expected. Elsa lifted her hand up and, without warning, slapped him in the face.

"Hey! What was that for?" He demanded.

"Sorry, I had to know you were real." She spoke, after hearing his voice, which by the way, sounded real enough for her.

"Oh." Jack replied, relieved that she was not mad at him. But the worst was yet to come. She slapped him again, her hand landing on his pale cheek.

"Where were you? I.. I thought you said you'd be back in a few months? I actually thought.. you.." Elsa stammered

"Elsa, I can explain! Please, calm down!" Jack pacified her as he took her shoulders and shook her lightly.

Fortunately, Elsa managed to stop stammering. She hung her head down, a little embarrassed of her outburst. Finally regaining her composure, she looked back at him again, maybe for a little too long.

"Elsa?"

This made her realize that she was staring at him for too long.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.. hit you. I just got too carried away." Elsa humbly apologized.

Jack let go of her shoulders and gave her a small smile.

"It's okay, I can understand if you're mad at me."

"No! No.. Jack I'm not mad at you." she started. "I guess I was just disappointed that you came back late.. Many years late."

"Well, I hope it's not too late for an explanation?" Jack asked with a smirk in his face.

"No. And please do come inside. We can talk there." Elsa offered, the two were finally getting along.

"I would like that, your majesty." Jack said in a teasing tone while bowing ridiculously in front of the queen.

"Cut it out, Jack." Elsa said as she walked to the direction of the castle doors, hiding the smile she had on her face.

...

The two walked in silence, Elsa kept her regal expression while Jack glanced at her from time to time.

"Is something wrong?" She asked Jack as she stopped walking.

"What?"

"Why do you keep looking at me? Is there something wrong?" She asked again.

"Oh.. About that." Jack mumbled as he scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to stare at you. It's just that.. you've changed."

"What do you mean by changed?" Elsa inquired further.

"I mean, you look different. Like, all grown up." He answered.

"Oh... Well all people age." She stated. "Maybe except you, you look the same ever since the last time I saw you."

"Well, I'm a spirit. I may grow centuries old but I'll still look the same." Jack declared. "So I guess you'll be as old as my human self after 301 years."

Elsa was about to answer, but before she could even open her mouth she heard a small gasp nearby. She around to see that the sound came from Anna.

"I-is that?" Anna started but wasn't able to finish her sentence, pure shock written all over her face. The princess's mouth was wide open as she stared at Jack.

Elsa looked at Jack then back at her sister. "You can see him?" She questioned Anna. The ginger princess continued to stare at the guardian and Jack did the same.

"Can you see me?" this time it was Jack that asked her. Anna slowly closed her mouth and nodded her head. "Of course I can see you, Jack Frost." she giggled

"Wait, you know who I am?" Jack inquired.

"Of course I know who you are. My papa used to tell me stories about you ever since I was a kid." Anna answered excitedly.

Then, she walked closer to the pair and examined the young man closely. Maybe a little too closely, causing the guardian to step backwards.

"Oh I can't believe it! Jack Frost is here, for real! You look a little different from what I expected." She chattered. "But Elsa, why are you together? When did you two?.."

"It's a long story, I'll explain later. But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone." Elsa told her sister.

"Aww, but I wanted to play a snowball fight with both of you." Anna whined.

"Don't worry, princess. We'll have a snowball fight, all three of us. But not now. Maybe tomorrow." Jack promised.

The ginger princess squealed. "Yay! It's gonna be so fun! It was nice meeting you, Jack." Anna said as the two shook hands. Then the princess finally skipped away. When she was finally out of sight, Jack turned to look at Elsa, who was not so happy about something.

"Why'd you promise her that? I still have to do something tomorrow! I have work too, you know." Elsa told him.

"What? There's nothing wrong with having a little fun! You need to spend time with your sister too." he retorted.

"I know that! But I can't spend time with her right now, she knows that. I have to send letters to all of the kingdoms for an important gathering. And I don't have time for-"

"Your sister?" Jack interrupted

"Ye- No! I just can't be with her at times like these. Just.. Stop making promises you can't keep!" She exclaimed.

Elsa's last statement statement hit him harder than anything he's ever heard before. And it was not because of his little promise to Anna. It was because of the promise he made 13 years ago. The promise he made to Elsa. But before he could even do something, Elsa grew weak all of a sudden. She almost collapsed, her one hand supporting her body on the wall, the other pressing a certain spot on her head.

"Elsa! What happened? Are you okay?" Jack panicked. He caught her by the waist before she even fell to the floor.

The queen opened her eyes, looking very weak. "I-i think there's something wrong with my head." She let out as a whisper before finally blacking out. Jack didn't know what to do, he waited for her to regain her consciousness. But instead, she just laid there on the guardian's arms.

After a few more seconds of waiting, Jack finally decided to take her to her room. Then, he'll go get Anna. Without wasting a second, his left arm took her legs while his right one supported her back. He carried her bridal-style to her room, her head resting on his chest. Jack made sure nobody saw them, and when he finally arrived at her room he laid her on her bed.

"Don't worry Elsa everything's gonna be fine." He spoke to her unconscious body before leaving the room to fetch her sister.

_'I guess this isn't the beautiful reunion I expected.'_

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**Well they had to fight. LOL don't worry it's just a LOVER'S QUARREL. 3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, me again. Sooo, this chapter is full of interaction between the two. Even though I'm thinking about quitting on this story, I won't. Because I love this couple. Jelsa forevahh. Peace out.**

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**Chapter 5**

It was a beautiful day in Arendelle. Shades of yellow and light pink shone upon the kingdom as the citizens started to leave their houses, up and about to do their activities and run their errands. No one would have thought that on a day so peaceful their own queen wasn't feeling so well.

The guardian was sitting on a comfortable chair, yet he couldn't find the urge to relax. Close enough see his sleeping friend, Jack watched Elsa who was still in a deep slumber. After what just happened last night, no one, not even Jack was kept from worrying over her. They were talking and she passed out all so suddenly? That was weird. Maybe she had a small stroke or something. They were having quite a fight last night. Or she could've over-worked. Maybe she was just too stressed. There were a few reasons Jack could point out. But none of them were good enough for him. No one ever faints that easily for goodness sake!

He was too lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice that Elsa was already stirring awake. She stretched her arms up and that's when he finally noticed. She scrunched up her face before her eyes started fluttering awake, her striking blue orbs he hasn't seen for a while taking him in awe. He has always loved the way her eyes could be so charming, even when she was still a kid. And it was even better when she flashed that girlish smile at him, a smile so vibrant that could always make his day before. There were still some traces left of her youthful face after all.

Jack watched as Elsa sat up. She looked down to see that she was lying down on her bed in her night gown, a blanket covering her body. She rubbed her head, trying to remember what happened.

"Hey." A familiar voice called beside her. She turned to her side to see Jack sitting on a chair beside her bed.

"Jack? What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" She asked him as she quietly observed her surroundings with a puzzled expression on her features.

"I watched over you last night. You collapsed before we even got to talk." He replied. Then, the guardian got up from the chair and went closer to her.

"Does your head still hurt?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, a little."

The door creaked open to reveal a ginger girl. "Elsa? Oh, thank goodness you're awake! We were worried sick!" Anna said as she walked to the bed and gave her sister a big hug.

"Wait, why did I faint last night?" Elsa asked.

"That, we have no idea about. A doctor came here to check on you last night, but he saw no signs of sickness. He said that maybe you were undergoing too much fatigue, which explains your headaches and why you passed out last night." Anna informed her.

After Anna's explanation, the three heard a knock from the door. "Your majesty, your breakfast is ready." It was a woman's voice.

"Oh, it's your breakfast." Anna said as she walked to the door to go get Elsa's food. She set the plate down on Elsa's bedside table. "I have to go eat too. Kristoff's waiting for me." She said excitedly before leaving the room, leaving the two alone.

"Umm.. I think I owe you an apology. About how I behaved last night. I shouldn't have promised Anna something without asking your permission." Jack apologized.

"It's okay. You were right. I should've spent more time with her. My sister is more important than anything else in the world." Elsa smiled at him.

"Well, I was hoping we could start this thing over. You know, without all the arguments, just like how we got along before." Jack offered as he sat beside her on the soft mattresses

The queen thought for a while. "Okay, but before that, you still have to explain yourself. Why didn't you come back as you promised?" She asked the guardian.

Jack hesitated for a while. He wanted to tell her everything, but he knew she needs time to take it all in. On top of that, there are things she shouldn't know.

_'I'll tell her the truth. But not all of it.'_

He took a deep breath and finally started his long-awaited reason. "The main reason is Pitch. You know Pitch Black right? The Boogeyman?"

Elsa thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I've heard of him. But isn't he just a myth?" She asked.

"No, he's real. Just like me, he's a spirit. Although, unlike the guardians, his main goal is to make the children of the world fear him." He paused. Maybe this was too much for Elsa to take in. But, she urged him to go on anyway.

"Well, I was summoned by the guardians because they discovered that Pitch has been up to his old tricks again, terrorizing children. But unlike before, he gained more power than ever before."

"And it took you thirteen years?" Elsa asked.

"He sent allies all over the world. They were pretty tough; we had to defeat almost half a hundred." He answered truthfully, thinking back.

For a moment there was silence. Elsa just sat on her bed trying to process everything that he has just said, with Jack patiently waiting for her reaction.

"Well.." She finally spoke up. "I guess it can't be helped. You had to protect the children." She said softly, her downcast eyes met his own. "I couldn't have gone through all of my problems without you. They probably needed you." She continued.

Jack felt another pang in his heart. Yes, the children needed him, but he felt bad for leaving his friend behind. It took him all his willpower to leave Elsa when she was still a little girl, knowing that if he didn't help in fighting Pitch's minions, then Elsa too would've been in danger. But even though he did what he thought was best for her, he couldn't bear the thought that his best friend was hurting all these years because of him.

"Elsa, I.. I didn't mean to leave you for too long. And I'm really, really sorry I did." He spoke softly as his hand found its way to her shoulder, stroking her gently.

His slow gesture reminded her of the times they used to have. The times when Jack would always be there to hold her like her own big brother, to comfort her whenever she felt depressed. He would always be there when she needed him. And that was one of the guardian qualities she admired about him. She wanted to be with him again, he was her best friend. She wanted to tell him she missed him, but instead, she just looked at the floor and remained still.

She did her best to fight back the tears forming in her eyes. She hasn't seen him in so long. She waited for this day all her life, and when she was about to lose hope, he came back. Jack seemed to sense her feelings and with one swift tug of her wrist, he pulled her in and put his arms around her. He doubted his actions at first, but when Elsa clutched his jacket tightly, he held her even more tightly but just as tenderly.

Elsa hesitated at first, but sooner, she stopped all her inhibitions and let the tears fall freely from her eyes. She remained in his embrace, her silent sobs filling the room.

"I missed you Jack. I.. I thought you would never come back." She sobbed against him.

"Shh.." He whispered as he rubbed her back soothingly. "Don't worry. I'm back now."

After a minute of weeping, Elsa finally stopped and tilted her face up to look at him. Her eyes were still glassy and she occasionally sniffled. "Will you stay here in the castle?"

"Sure. That is, if you want me to." Jack replied.

"Of course you can stay. But don't you have stuff to do?" She asked, finally letting his jacket go as he released her.

"Nope, I'm on vacation. It's spring, so I don't have to bring winter." He pointed out. "So, I suppose I can stay here?"

Elsa then smiled at him brightly in contrast to the way she was sobbing just a few moments ago. "Alright, I'll let you stay."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"So, here's your room." Elsa declared as she opened a door to one of the castle's guest rooms. The room was smaller compared to the queen's quarters, but it was relatively large compared to any other room Jack stayed in. The walls were painted a nice color of violet, and there was a large bed in the middle of the guest room.

"Wow.. This place is huge." He said as he stepped inside the room and took a look around. The queen followed him as he observed the new place he was going to stay in. He went to the small beside table and picked up a small picture frame lying on the desk. He looked at the portrait of a girl maybe 3 or 4 years old. The child had silvery hair and blue eyes but the most intriguing part of the picture was the girl's face. She was crying and her face was wet and reddened.

"This is you, right?" Jack asked her, showing her the frame. She walked towards him and took the picture frame.

"Yes. I don't even know how it got here. I usually keep these in my room." She answered. The two stared at the image for a while, until Elsa heard a chuckle coming from the guardian.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked Jack, who was now openly laughing. His hands went up to cover his mouth to conceal his laughter with his eyes crinkling at the sides with amusement. "It's just.. You still look like a tomato when you cry." He said between laughs.

Elsa processed what he said for a while. It was true. Ever since she was a child, her face would flush shades of red when she cried, especially her nose. This was one of her traits that she was embarrassed about. And unfortunately, this was also one of the traits that she brought with her as she grew up. She assumed that her nose was still red from crying in her bedroom earlier.

"No I don't!" She replied, defensively covering her nose with her hand. "Yes you do!" He teased.

Elsa didn't remove her hand from her nose as a light tint of pink spread across her cheeks which wasn't caused by her crying anymore.

"Hey." Jack finally stopped laughing as a small smile formed in his lips. "I don't think you should be embarrassed about that. I only laughed because you look cute every time your nose turns red."

Elsa put her hand down and stared at him with wide eyes. "Cute?" She verified.

"Yeah. Cute." He replied quickly. She looked back at him and gave him a shy smile.

"Well, if that's what you think.." She murmured.

Elsa wasn't uses to being called 'cute'. No one ever told her that before. Though many people have told her that she had grown into quite a beautiful lady, she never believed them anyway.

"So, I guess you wouldn't mind if I hang this frame on the wall outside?" He inquired, taking the frame from her hands.

"But I still don't want everybody to see it!" She complained.

"Why not?" He whined playfully.

"Never mind the reason. Just.. Hand it over." Elsa told him.

Despite her protest, Jack didn't give her the portrait. A mischievous smirk appeared on his face before he quickly flew out the guest room, creating a small gust of wind and leaving a flustered Elsa alone.

Truthfully, Elsa really didn't like the idea of everyone openly seeing her own picture, especially that baby picture of hers. Furthermore, if Anna ever saw that picture, the gabby princess might make a big deal out of it, teasing her sister until she bursts. And now, a certain silver-haired guardian surprisingly stole that picture from her grip, which can only bring her trouble.

Elsa ran out the room to get the frame back. When she reached the door, she saw a flash of dark blue up ahead the hallway, which could only be one person.

"Jack! Give it back!" She hollered as she ran after the guardian. She could hear his laughter as he turned his head towards her direction to look back at her.

"Nope." He giggled. He continued flying, turning left and right, up and down. Elsa chased him through the hallway and down the stairs. How inappropriate it was for a queen to be running around the royal palace she thought, but she wasn't going to let Jack display that cursed photo anywhere.

Was that the only reason why she was trying to catch him? There was also a reason as to why she shouldn't chase him. He was freaking fast, and there was a slim chance of the guardian being caught by her. It was a waste of time; she could always remove the frame if ever he really hanged it outside.

But as much as she doesn't want to admit it, what they were doing was actually fun. She hasn't run that fast in a long period of time, much less chasing someone down. Even though he stole that frame sneakily, she still enjoyed the way he would give her that mischievous look as he flew swiftly down the corridors, and unintentionally, she joined him too as she got lost in the moment and laughed along with him.

Her laughter attracted his attention, and as he turned to look at her once more, the sight before him took him in astonishment. She was giggling as she looked back at him, her face telling him she was indeed having fun. He hasn't seen her like this for a long time, especially as she grew up. He felt more than grateful that she was finally enjoying herself. Those sparkles in her eyes were back, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

"Hey, give it back!" Elsa said loudly, though the smile on her face told Jack that she wasn't that mad at him. He continued chuckling at her reaction as the two reached the main castle doors and eventually they were out in the courtyard. By that time, Elsa was breathless and she stopped chasing after the guardian. She went down on her knees as she panted softly, head facing the floor.

Jack noticed that she wasn't laughing anymore and when he turned around to look at her, he stopped his laughter as well. Worry took over him as he flew to her direction and crouched down beside her.

"Elsa! Are you okay?" He asked, only to receive a series of breathless gaps. This seemed too much of a workout for her. He was clueless of what to do as he stroked her back up and down in an effort to help her catch her breath. After a few more moments, Elsa seemed to regain her normal breathing and she finally looked up to meet the guardian's fretful gaze.

She gave him an unexpected smirk and with one abrupt movement, Elsa snatched the frame from his hand and stood up to run a good distance away from him.

Jack's puzzled expression was enough to make her giggle. When the guardian finally caught up, he stood up with his own signature smirk plastered on his face. "You learn fast, don't you?" He spoke as he walked to her.

He walked fast enough and in a few moments he was already standing in front of her. She had to look up to face him, considering that he was taller than her. "You know, you got me a little nervous when you started to wheeze." Jack admitted.

"You didn't have to worry about that. I was born asthmatic. It's pretty normal for me to find difficulty in breathing especially after such activities." She confirmed.

The smile on the guardian's face disappeared once again as he started asking Elsa more questions. "Wait, you're asthmatic?" He asked, receiving a silent nod from the queen.

"You should've told me before chasing me around! You could've had an attack right then and there." He spoke up with traces of anxiousness in his voice.

This didn't go unnoticed by Elsa as she tried to talk him out of it. "Jack, I know my condition better than anyone else, so I also know when to stop." She affirmed.

The guardian seemed to calm down a little. Just a little. "I know. But next time, just tell me when you can't take it anymore. You know, when you've had too much." He requested.

Once again the queen found her smile. "Okay, I will."

xxXxx

After their little exercise around the castle, Jack and Elsa decided to walk back upstairs and proceed to their respective rooms. The two walked in silence, until a soft chuckle coming from Elsa broke the dead air. "What's with the giggles?" Jack asked.

"Nothing important." Elsa replied nonchalantly.

"Come on, why don't you tell me?" Jack begged as he blocked her path with his arm. Apparently he has no intention of letting her pass without an answer.

"Fine." Elsa sighed, finally giving in. "I just remembered the times when you would fuss over me every time I got sick. You know, when I was still a kid."

Jack thought for a moment. Yes, Elsa was a sickly little girl. And yes, he would always make a big deal out of it. He looked down at Elsa to meet her face with his a smile.


End file.
